The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-02-19
she used to do, and I will go away and

take the baby"
Take the baby"
Certainly" said. "You can't bear
the sight of him, and l love him. And
then if ever you marry again'-
Il shall never marry again" he said,
the gloom settling IN his eyes.
Il don't believe you will!' l ex-
claimed. II don't believe there's the
woman living who will ever take such
an unnatural, wicked father, for her hus-
band! Louie's own child, too, and the
very image of her. / wonder what she'd
think of you'll" And / snatched the baby
up oft of the cradle, and ran from the
room, lie should break out crying be-
fore his face.
The next afternoon when Dennis came
in from his work, he went and made
himself all nice, and changed his clothes,
and came down to where stood in the
side-door with the baby in my arms
looking ut the sunset. And he stopped
to take the child; and the little darling
turned, with low, frightened cry, and
hid his face in my neck. And tn n. all
at once the tears that hadn't seen Den
mis- cry in all this tine, gushed out, and
he pat his arms around the child, who
began to scream with terror; and rs
half turned and maintained my own hold,
he took him forcibly away from me.
"Let go" lie said. in his low half
smo;hered tone. "iie's my childw
IL suppose he isl l cried. 'By some
wicked form OF law, the cruel law that
men made for men. But you don't de-
serve him."
Inever was so angry. I thought 1
would take my things and go away that
moment But how could | leave the
BABY His little screams were torturing
me then. SIT down on the door stone.
and flung my apron over my head, and
put my thumbs in my ears. and wished
the baby and / were dead along with
Louie.
Perhaps it was an hour aftcrward
when looked up, and there was Dennis
coming through the orchard with the
baby, and the boy was Growing and
jumping and catching at the bending
boughs, AMI catching at his fathers
great mustachc, and rubbing bis little
wet lips all over Dennis's face. chirrup-
ing and Joyous; and couldn't help it,
| ran to meet IN IN.
"You see," said Dennis, as he let me
have him back, blood is thicker than
water. after ALL"
Oh! what long journey felt as il
that baby had been on as took him and
could hardly have done kissing him.
"romc," said Dennis, Laughing,
'lcavc someth ng - him for me-
Il was the first time he had laughed
since that child was born. And the dar-
ling had gone long Journey journey
INTO the infinite depths of fathers
heart.
We'll. after that, Dennis couldn't get
home early enough in the afternoon, and
it seemed rs if he hated to 90 away IN
the morning, AMI Sundays he had the
baby in his arms from morning till n ght.
And in the evenings. when sat sewing
on the little clothes. he would come and
sit opposite, or where he could see how
the work went on; and he brought home
all sorts of little. impossible toys, and
he talked and sang to him, and walk d
with him; and the baby began to look
out for his coming as much as did. And
all that, of course, helped me good deal
in my work about the house. for 1 kept
everything as fine and orderly rs honey
comb; only, with the baby to tend and
see to, 1 sometimes had to sit up nights
to do 1t.
II shall call HIM Louie, for his
mother" said Dennis, one night.
"Do you think you can bear itl"
asked.
ITO hear him called Louie2 Yes. He
is Louie over again" said Dennis.
And | couldn't tell you how pleasant
life grew to be as we watched the child